


Hidden Tears

by MangaBitch



Series: Unspoken feelings [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Absent Parents, Affection, Anger, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Apologies, Arguing, Billy Hargrove & Eleven | Jane Hopper Friendship, Billy Hargrove & Maxine "Max" Mayfield Have a Good Relationship, Billy Hargrove Has a Crush on Steve Harrington, Billy Hargrove Lives, Billy Hargrove Redemption, Bisexual Billy Hargrove, Bisexual Female Character, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Bisexuality, Blushing, Cars, Closeted Character, Coffee, Crushes, Crying, Daddy Issues, Eleven | Jane Hopper & Maxine "Max" Mayfield Friendship, Eleven | Jane Hopper Has Powers, Eleven | Jane Hopper Stays in Hawkins, Embarrassment, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, F/M, Family Issues, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fear, Feelings, Feels, Female Friendship, Female Steve Harrington, Fights, First Kiss, Flashbacks, Fluff, Fluffy Ending, Frustration, Good Babysitter Steve Harrington, Good Sibling Billy Hargrove, Good Sibling Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Growing Up, Hawkins (Stranger Things), High School, Hugs, Hurt Steve Harrington, Hurt/Comfort, I Tried, Insults, Internal Conflict, Jeans, Lesbian Robin Buckley, Lifeguard Billy Hargrove, Lifeguards, Love, Making Up, Mental Breakdown, Minor Joyce Byers/Jim "Chief" Hopper, Minor Maxine "Max" Mayfield/Lucas Sinclair, Mocking, Mornings, Mutual Pining, My First Work in This Fandom, Neglect, Past Relationship(s), Past Steve Harrington/Nancy Wheeler, Peer Pressure, Personal Growth, Protective Billy Hargrove, Protective Dustin Henderson, Public Display of Affection, Resentment, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington Friendship, Romantic Fluff, School, Secret Crush, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Hatred, Self-Reflection, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot, Shyness, Skipping Class, Slut Shaming, Smoking, Staring, Steve Harrington & Maxine "Max" Mayfield Have a Sibling Relationship, Steve Harrington Has Bad Parents, Steve Harrington Has a Crush on Billy Hargrove, Steve Harrington Needs a Hug, Stranger Things 3, Stress Relief, Sulking, Sunglasses, Surprise Kissing, Surprises, Swimming, Talking, Tears, Teasing, Teenagers, Time Skips, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Verbal Abuse, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-03-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:54:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22990555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MangaBitch/pseuds/MangaBitch
Summary: Stevie's father lets rip into her before school, leaving her hurt and resentful. She just wants to be alone and sulk, but Billy notices with help from Max and El. Trying to help her let out all her feelings
Relationships: Billy Hargrove & Steve Harrington, Billy Hargrove/Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington, Eleven | Jane Hopper & Billy Hargrove
Series: Unspoken feelings [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1727920
Comments: 2
Kudos: 118





	Hidden Tears

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Harringrove work, please be kind with reviews. Also I don't see a lot of Platonic Max/Billy or El/Billy which to me is highly underrated in the fandom. Enjoy :)

Stevie leaned back silently in her car, her brown eyes gazing into the oblivion in content silence. A cigarette hanging limply from her soft plump lips, the window cracked slightly allowing the smoke to seep from the window. She still had some time before school started, giving her the brief pleasure of enjoying a quiet smoke by herself. She never let the kids see her doing so, aware of the bad habit it came with. But she really needed a smoke right now. After gaining better companionship in her life and having matured since her days as queen Stevie. She had given up smoking and developed a healthier mindset, only upon her anxiety flaring or stress becoming intolerable, did she get the urge to light one.

Looking back on how she treated Nancy during the beginning of her relationship, how much of an ass she was to Jonathan about his missing brother and then breaking his camera. How she was even friends with someone like Tommy or Carol made her cringe now, the things she said so easily about people and how she behaved. Realising now how much she had grown up, how much she had changed and for the better. The person she was now couldn't even stand the person she used to be, realising the people in her life now had helped her become that way.

If not for how much she had grown up and had the experiences she had, she never would have been able to see how crappy her parents were. I mean, her mother was just as absent in her life, but she did love Stevie. She was affectionate in her own way and at least the most caring of them both. As per usual, her father felt the need to press into her on his endless disappointment about her life choices. However, today he had been crueller than usual with his words, really getting to her. Since she was graduating soon, the pressure on his side was at a boiling point. Feeling the need to point out the ticking clock of how many chances she was going to get before she lost her window of opportunity.

Times like these she was relieved not to have a sibling, not just so they didn't have to endure the same treatment. But selfishly so they didn't have any more ammo to hold against her. God forbid they compared her to an imaginary sibling. She growled lowly under her breath, gritting her teeth and chewing on her cigarette. The morning's previous endeavours running through her mind like a movie. Recollecting her father's words, only fueling her desire to get the hell out of Hawkins. Now that she looked back on it, Billy when he first arrived loved to vent about how much he hated Hawkins and missed California. Having grown up here it was hard for her to compare. I mean, the locals weren't all bad, there just happened to be a few shitty people in amongst a few good ones. But then that was evident anywhere you went, there were always going to be jerks in every walk of life. It was just irony that one the biggest ones she knew was her own father.

* * *

" _So, now that you have left that silly job at the ice-cream corner. It's time you considered your career options, your future expectations as the Harrington heir Stephanie" Mr Harrington vented impatiently._ _She had experienced her fun by parading around in that ridiculous sailor attire all summer and serving teenagers and children for days on end. Now it was time to be more serious._ _He had taught her a lesson by cutting her off to teach her a lesson, after learning about all the parties she had been hosting while he and her mother had been away. Only imagining what the neighbours had been seeing during them._

 _Though she had noticeably calmed down since then, focusing on her schoolwork and no longer causing trouble. She had annoyingly gained a reputation around Hawkins for her companionship with a group of local children. However, one of the local mothers Joyce Byers spoke highly of her, as did the Chief Hopper. So he couldn't deny she had learned something to gain good favours with them. However, he truly wished she would gain companions her own age and think about developing a relationship with someone her own age and consider future marriage._ _She had already left the swim team halfway through high school and been slouching off since then. Throwing away all of her hard work and training to spend time with kids in her class before becoming a loner. Instead of focusing on her training again, she lazed about on her own and disappears for days on end doing god knows what._

_Steve cringed, gripping her coffee mug and trying to block out her father's endless monologue. He loved to hold her independent choices against her, how he always knew best. She had lost her job at scoops because the battle with the Mind Flayer had destroyed the entire mall, including her choice of employment. He would have a field day if he had any idea of her interest in women as well as some of her hookups with cute guys from her school. Any of the many antics she had been involved in that broke the image of being the picture perfect daughter. Over time she had become good at blocking out her father's words, it just made him easier to tolerate before he went to one of the many holiday villas they owned with her mother._

_Robin had easily gained a job at the video store on account of her vast knowledge in media and movies, as well as Keith finding Robin better company. Though she had been known as one of the pretty girls back in high school, she wasn't known for having the best personality back then. However, Stevie chose the local Hawkins pool, on account of Keith's dislike of her. She wasn't surprised by his hostility towards her given her history as "Queen Stevie" but she hoped people would soon be able to move past that as she wasn't that girl anymore._ _While not being able to work alongside her best friend was a bummer, Stevie tried to be optimistic about it. She was one of the top 5 in her swimming class and this way she could at least put her talents to good use. Lifeguards were respected people, especially at beaches._

 _Robin would always visit her at work over the summer, they would always hang out regardless, plenty of people didn't work in the same area. But working alongside someone she once hated wasn't exactly what she had in mind. Having to tolerate the company of Billy Hargrove wasn't exactly her idea of fun, but having someone like Heather as a coworker did soften the blow. She was friendlier and easy on the eyes, admittedly she did have a minor crush on Heather too. But regardless of these factors, she still took her job seriously._ " _I have a job dad, I work at the community pool. It was easy enough, given I was on the swim team in school" she reminded him stiffly. Yes, dealing with screaming kids, the occasional leering jerk and sitting in the hot sun all day. It wasn't really a bad deal._

_Though she never expected it of him, Billy did take his duties as a lifeguard seriously. Nobody ever messed around under his watch, people actually followed the rules of the pool. He would scare off people who gave Stevie a hard time and taught swimming lessons to kids on the side. Yes, many of the local mums still treated him like eye candy, but his genuine passion for his job earned her respect a little. When Max and the other kids visited him at work, he actually helped keep an eye on them to help take the load off of Stevie when she was at work, which she appreciated especially on a busy shift._

_Mr Harrington glared over his shoulder at her in disapproval, "I will not have my daughter slandering the Harrington name, by dressing up in raunchy swimwear in front of snotty kids, local mothers and randy teenage boys" he scoffed. He didn't need the neighbours or his work colleagues talking about his daughter dressing up in skin tight swimwear and parading around in public scantily clad. He was aware of her rebellious defiance by getting a job at the local pool, showing she hadn't learned her lesson. But he was willing to look past that and help take control of her future career._ _Stevie had potential and he refused to allow her to waste her talents by being childish. He knew what was best for her and he always had. With enough connections, he could find her a new coach, put her on an appropriate diet, start her training and hopefully make it to the Olympics. Yes, it would take time given she hadn't swum in some time, but she could easily earn back her spot in the top five._

_She would have to change her sleep patterns, maybe get a dietician, fix her life up and focus on her swimming. There would be no time for anything else so that she could fully focus on regaining her lost skills. He refused to allow her to waste further time at that local pool, cleaning the showers, pool and cleaning up like a maid. She probably only got the job so she could flirt with local boys, making a nuisance of herself and embarrassing her status as his daughter. But he would no longer tolerate this kind of behaviour._

_Stevie's body turned rigid, her hand gripping her mug like a vice. Her eyes stinging with tears but she bit them back, a sickening feeling filling her stomach. He didn't need to say it out loud for her to know what he meant. He was ashamed of her, he just loved putting her down. Making her place known, especially when she was anything but the perfect daughter he wanted._ " _Are… are you calling me a slut?" she whimpered quietly, biting back her urge to burst into tears. She had always been aware that despite any achievement she would ever make, she would never gain her father's approval, no matter how hard she tried._ _She finally found a genuine friend who cared about her, kids who admired her and enjoyed her company. Not people who only got close to her because she was a Harrington, because her parents were rich. People who just wanted to get to know her, people who made her feel wanted. People she didn't have to put on a facade for and could just be herself. Helping her move past the self centered and narcissistic person she had once been, only to become someone her father highly dissapproved of. How ironic, he only liked Stevie when she acted like him._

_Her father hesitated, visibly softening a little at the tone of her voice. Seeing her brown eyes turn glassy with unshed tears, aware she was going to cry and it was his fault. He just wanted what was best for her, she just didn't understand that yet. He sighed heavily, picking up his newspaper and coffee before exiting the room "We can talk about this later, you will be late for school Stephanie". He wasn't in the mood for her acting childish or sulking, they would talk about this when she was in a more reasonable and rational mood._

* * *

Stevie felt her eyes sting all over again with fresh tears, wiping them away furiously with the back of her hand. Her lip wobbling, before she repetitively smacked her steering wheel in silent resentment and frustration. She hated her father, everything about his very existence made her sick. His snobbish attitude, demeaning her on a near-daily basis for the simplest of reasons. How he loved to put her down about anything and everything. Controlling every aspect of her life as if it were a game, but to him, she supposed it was. She was never good enough in his eyes, giving her shit if she put on just the smallest amount of weight. Having no idea about just how shitty all of this made her feel. Hot tears spilt down her cheeks like a waterfall, splashing onto her hands, her eyes red but she pushed it to the back of her mind. Licking her lips as she tried to control her bitterness. She couldn't let the kids see her looking so pathetic, it would only make them worry needlessly about her. She would need some time before she went into the building.

He above all had done such a good job of ignoring her over the years and she had just adapted to their neglectful nature. Living her own life by her own terms, not caring about the consequences because they weren't around to judge her on her choices. But now her father was simply stepping into her life so naturally and belittling her as though she was a child. Trying to take over her conscious thought and make decisions for her, forcing his ideals onto her, moulding her into his perfect image. Yes, she had been bratty in the past because she was used to getting what she wanted without consideration. But then having no parents around did that to you, lack of parental support and nurture really did mess you up. I mean her mother cared but she wasn't always present in Stevie's life either but she still loved her in her own way. She would never shame Stevie the way her father did, but she just never spoke up against him. Which was just as bad, choosing to simply ignore it.

* * *

Stevie stalked down the hallway, burying her balled fists into her pockets attempting to block out any background noise from classmates as best she could. Adorning a pair of semi worn converse, a pair of skinny jeans, her favourite denim jacket and a simple white Tee with a red collar/sleeve hem with a rainbow stripe across the chest. Her signature sunglasses hanging from the collar. She could sense people staring at her, ever since her fall from queen bee she seemed to stick out in a negative light these days. Not that she cared, she was in a shit mood already and she cared little for anyone's opinion of her right now. Nowadays she preferred casual clothes or cute stuff compared to the flashy nonsense she wore to get people's attention in the past. Feeling comfortable in herself rather than trying to impress anyone, it was about what felt right instead of trying to put on a show. I mean she still enjoyed skirts from time to time, but she never really cared about what impression it gave. Her whole change in attitude was what confused people, having lost her crown as Queen, only to become so nonchalant about her past reputation.

" _Stevie_!" Dustin's voice yelled loudly in delight. She turned briefly to look over her shoulder as Dustin hurdled at her eagerly at a quick speed. Nearly knocking her over as he wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled against her affectionately. Soon followed by the rest of the gang, bombarding her in a group hug. After her giving him advice on girls, dealing with Russian spies and saving the world twice, it was fair to say she and Dustin had experienced some major bonding time with one another. She could hear people whispering and giggling in the background, probably amused at the past queen bee hanging out with a bunch of children. She sighed under her breath, choosing to ignore their petty judgement. She loved her kids, they meant the world to her. Yes, they could be a handful at times and yes they annoyed the living shit out of her sometimes. But she loved them anyway, they were her everything.

She reached out to ruffle Dustin's hair fondly, a gentle smile tickling her lips. Dustin had previously been her favourite due to them hanging out in the past after her breakup with Nancy. Though she thought best to keep it a secret that his new rivals for a place as her favourite were Max and El. She was able to act as a mother figure and big sister towards them, able to enjoy some female bonding aside from having to keep an eye on the boys most of the time. Watching Max explain comic books and fashion to El was honestly adorable at times. Allowing Jane to experience the things she had been denied of during her lonely childhood. "Hey Dusty-bun, hear much from Suzie lately?" she teased trying not to smirk as she said the words. She had really found it hard to believe he had a girlfriend, but it seemed to be true in the end. His cheeks lit up as the words escaped her lips, hissing for her to keep her voice down. She couldn't help but grin at his adorable embarrassment.

"We're having a D&D meeting tonight, can we have a ride?" Mike asked impatiently. It was being held at Will's house this time which wasn't the easiest place to get to in terms of distance. It meant he could have alone time with El without interference from Hopper, though he had become less overbearing, he still was as protective of her as ever. After the fight with Will, having given up many of his old comics etc to Lucas's sister, the others had become more sensitive to his feelings and still occasionally played D&D with him.

Stevie hummed, she was more than used to the kid's hobbies by now. However, the meeting place changed quite frequently, making it hard for her to keep track at the best of times. "Your place or Mrs Byers," she asked. The constant driving them around did make gas money expensive, given the long distance, knowing they were staying over did bring a relief. Knowing she could just collect them in the morning and have the night to herself for a brief period. I mean she still enjoyed personal space as much as the next person after all.

"Mine this time" Will mumbled shyly, the guys hadn't been over to his for some time. It would be good to be able to bond with them. At least now they had El and Max to play too, luckily they were able to convince the others to play too. After the events of the Mind Flayer, the flayed and the events at starcourt mall, Will had gone through a lot of personal growth. Able to move on from a lot of his personal trauma's, slowly but surely. Learning to bond more with people his own age.

"Stevie, are you ok?" Lucas asked in concern. She looked upset like she was forcing herself to smile. Her eyes looked shiny and puffy, had she been crying? He couldn't ignore this gnawing feeling that something was wrong. He didn't like to make things awkward or uncomfortable, he just couldn't shake that she was hiding something. Their motto was that friends didn't lie after all.

Stevie stiffened in their embrace, panicking that her expression was obvious. She couldn't let the kids know she was upset, this was between herself and her father. It had nothing to do with them and she didn't want them to feel responsible. She took a deep breath and forced herself to smile harder. Kneeling down to their height "I'm ok guys, just a long day is all" she lied. They were smart kids, too smart for their own good sometimes. But this wasn't something they needed to get involved in. Suddenly the bell ringed, bringing her relief at being able to avoid further questioning. She sighed under her breath "off with you now, study hard. Got that?" she warned, sending them off proudly.

* * *

"Something is up with Stevie" Dustin stated adamantly, concern evident in his voice. She was his best friend, he knew when something was bothering her. She seemed down today, more so than she normally was. He knew she didn't like it when people intervened in her life, especially when she was stressed. But he couldn't abandon her when she was struggling. He just wanted to cheer her up and let her know how much they all appreciated her.

"Maybe she's tired, she got that job at the pool lately" Will argued. She did spend a lot of time in the sun which did lead to exhaustion and dehydration. It could be a reason for her not acting like herself. Joyce always checked in with phone calls and offering to let her crash at her place if home was too lonely or she was having a hard time. Joyce had pretty much adopted Stevie as her own daughter. He had seen plenty of times how stressed Stevie could get, as much as she tried to hide it from others.

"Maybe it's nightmares like Will had before" Mike suggested. He knew his sister Nancy had trouble sleeping after what happened with her friend Barb. Though she was doing better now, she would never truly recover after what happened. He knew El had them sometimes too. Given Hawkins was known for being a sleepy urban area, learning about supernatural dangers threatening their home out of nowhere was enough to throw anyone off. Given they had many people they couldn't tell, let alone believe them. The things they had seen and experienced would keep anyone up at night. Stevie was only human after all, weaknesses were a natural thing.

"She didn't seem tired to me" Dustin argued impatiently. If she was suffering from insomnia he would know about it. He would pick up on the subtle behavioural changes and appearance in her personality. But she seemed to be acting normal, albeit a little more stressed than usual. Maybe she had an upcoming exam, maybe her classmates were giving her trouble, it could be any number or reasons causing her distress. They just needed to get to the bottom of it and hopefully give her some advice to make her feel better.

"Maybe she and Billy had another fight" Lucas considered hesitantly. He knew they didn't have the best history together, though they got along better now they still had a lot of tension between them. Billy really knew how to get under Stevie's skin above all, which was the root cause of their hostility. Stevie being the previous queen bee until Billy stole her crown. Though having put their pettiness behind them, they still had their moments of being childish and arguing occasionally, just with less bite behind the words.

Billy loved pretty girls, his car, having fun and enjoying a party, though after the starcourt mall he was less of an attention seeker and party animal. Most days simply attending to cure his boredom and get out of the house. Though he had become more vocal about his dislike of the company of the teens of Hawkins, finding other girls vapid and irritating. Aware that half of the people whom approached him either wanted to impress him or just wanted to sleep with him. But the good that came out of all this was his strengthened bond with Max and developing frenemy relationship with Stevie.

Neil was still shitty towards Billy but had lessened his hostility towards him due to Max now acting as his shadow, following him around everywhere. Using the excuse that Billy had learned some responsibility by caring for his sister. However, he was still a shitty parent towards him regardless. Billy now coming to terms with his demons and slowly learning to move past them and grow up for better words. Max glared, kicking Lucas angrily under the table. If there was something going on between them in that sense she would know about it. She lived with the guy, yes she was aware Billy could be a jerk. But after the events with the Mind Flayer and his new job, he had been getting better. She knew he worked with Stevie, but he would have said something if they were on bad terms. " _NO!"_ she snapped.

She wasn't naive to why they would suspect Billy, especially given his past antics. But he had been getting better, he was improving in his own way. When Niel and her mum weren't home, they watched movies together, he made dinner and sometimes just hung out in his room listening to music. He sometimes took her shopping and didn't berate for her tomboy nature like their parents did. Billy was still his loner, tough guy and sarcastic self, but he did show a sense of fondness and genuine brotherly care for Max now. He was different, their lives were different now.

"He beat up Stevie" Dustin argued. He attacked her like a madman that night at Will's house, he nearly killed Lucas if not for Max knocking him out that time. It wasn't crazy to assume he could be giving Stevie a hard time again. After his possession of the Mind Flayer, he had shown just what he was capable of. I mean none of his experiences so far with Max's stepbrother had been anything but pleasant. So she couldn't hold it against him for considering her brother as a potential suspect.

"Yeah, but _I'd know_ , I can tell when he's been fighting" Max snapped animosity clear in her tone. Over time she had become good at reading his moods and body language. He was always tense, drank more alcohol, played his music loudly even to spite Niel, his tone was snappy and sarcastic, sometimes not eating unless she forced him to. He hadn't been acting like that lately. He hadn't been in any fights recently, keeping to himself, occasionally going on drives and just attending his job at the pool. He hadn't been getting into any trouble that she knew of lately.

"Dad…" El trailed off quietly, causing everyone at the table to turn their heads towards her in confusion. El bowed her head shyly "…she was thinking about her dad" she mumbled. She hated how sad Stevie was feeling and hated that her father was responsible for her grief, especially after seeing how Niel had treated Billy during his childhood. Nobody deserves to feel that lonely because their paternal figures did a shitty job of raising their child or acting like a responsible role model. Stevie was loved, even if she didn't feel like it sometimes.

Everyone turned to El in silent mutual confusion, why would Stevie be thinking about her dad? Max sighed heavily, glad for the brief distraction but it was clear none the guys would be of help. "Look, me and El will talk to Billy. Well see you guys later" she snapped fiercely before walking off, El following close behind. She was still annoyed at Lucas for assuming Billy was to blame, but she was relieved that Mike hadn't jumped on the bandwagon too. She wasn't in the mood for dealing with them right now, she needed to speak to her brother and hopefully find the answers they craved.

Lucas frowned, mimicking Max's gesture towards him by kicking Dustin. "Great, now I have to apologize to Max" he huffed. He hadn't meant to upset her, but at least he hadn't dumped her again. He hadn't meant to upset her, but Stevie and Billy weren't exactly joined at the hip either. Their relationship was still very complicated, at most they were barely frenemies now. Dustin opened his mouth to argue but decided against it. Simply sighing and moping off to class, he couldn't help himself. He was just worried about Stevie is all.

* * *

Billy slumped against the walls of the bleachers in silent content, gazing off into the distance as he inhaled the pleasant poison of a cigarette. Enjoying a quiet smoke to himself before heading back to the boredom of classes. Usually, he would bump into Stevie around here on occasion. Though surprised a princess like her enjoyed the occasional puff, she was good company. His previous assumption of Stevie being an arrogant, pampered, flamboyant and manipulative was completely wrong. She never held her parents status above everyone, in fact she resented her father and had a strained relationship with her mother. Her parents were absent and neglectful and Stevie was obviously affection starved, constantly craving positive approval from people out of a desire to fill the hole her parents left by ignoring her very existence.

Admittedly, she was probably the only other openly flawed person aside from himself, while people loved to mock Stevie for her fall from grace. He couldn't help but admire how Stevie broke off from the social status of popularity, enjoying her own company and being true to herself. Carol obsessed with popularity, school gossip and sleeping with the next warm body she could find that wasn't Tommy. In terms of Tommy, he was either desperate for Billy's approval or trying to hide his blatant crush on Stevie, wondering if Carol was even aware.

He heard footsteps approaching in the distance and stiffened, cautiously checking his surroundings in case he needed to make a quick escape. He was aware teachers may be on patrol, not that he cared for their opinion on skipping class. But if word got back to Neil, he would be in trouble. He peered over his shoulder, relaxing when he saw it was instead Max. He frowned irritably, trying to look as intimidating as possible. Susan would have a field day if she knew her daughter was skipping class, Neil would kill him. "You should be in class Shitbird, you aren't skipping are you?" he warned coldly. Yeah, he was old enough to do what he wanted, but she was a kid and she still had a future ahead of her.

Max huffed, she was in no mood for any of his shit today, folding her arms defiantly across her chest, glaring him down. "What did you say to Stevie?" she snapped impatiently. Given his track record with girls, since they moved here, it was fair to say he had made plenty of them cry by being a jerk. But Stevie was special, she wasn't just a babysitter, she was family. She was like a mother and big sister to all of them, she genuinely cared about their well being and safety. Max genuinely enjoyed the nights they spent with Stevie, offering to read comics, paint nails and listen to music, rather than her mother trying to get her to dress up and act like a little princess. She wasn't going to let her brother be an ass and make her feel crappy about herself.

Billy scoffed, nearly choking on smoke as he heard the words "Excuse me?" he huffed. He may not have been perfect, but he hated being blamed for shit that wasn't his fault. He hadn't said two words to Harrington lately. Recently she had seemed to have a chip on her shoulder but didn't start any fights. If he wanted to have fun by messing with Harrington, he would make it known. But then he knew she still had issues with Wheeler after their nasty breakup, so maybe she was just having bad memories. Given they lived in the same town it wasn't easy to get away from them.

Max ignored his outburst, she was going to get to the bottom of this regardless. Yes, she was trying to avert placing the blame on Billy, but if he really was responsible she wanted to know the truth. Stevie was a genuinely kind person and a good babysitter, she didn't deserve to be made to feel so genuinely alone. "She's been crying, but she tried to hide it her eyes were red. I know you guys work together unless it was Tommy" she explained. Working with Billy nearly 24/7 would drive anyone mad, she had no idea how Stevie had the patience to put up with him on such a regular basis, she needed to know her secrets for future reference.

Billy stiffened, he knew though she had befriended that Robin girl. Tommy still harassed Stevie out of bitterness and his said secret obsession with Stevie. His expression becoming stern as Max notified of Stevie's mood. She had been crying? Before school of all thing? I mean he had seen her mad or broody loads of times, but she never cried in front of anyone. Stevie had plenty of reasons to break down and cry, plenty of stresses and problems weighing down on her, any of them would become too much to carry on her own. But she wasn't the type of person to talk about them out loud to anyone, instead keeping them locked away, safe.

El moved forward nervously sensing the hostility between the two step-siblings. She didn't want them to fight for no reason, not when she could show them the truth. "I saw… when I hugged Stevie, she was fighting…. Her dad.. he mocked us… and her job…" she explained quietly. Stevie had been crying and her father was being mean. How trapped Stevie had felt being trapped with him, wishing she could escape her home and be free. Angry that her papa was so mean, wondering if she should tell Hopper about what was going on. But if Billy could help too, then he deserved to know what was going on.

Max's expression became surprised, not expecting El to speak up. Stevie had a habit of keeping her personal life private, including her relationship with her parents. But she had picked up that they had family issues. Her and Billy's home life was anything but perfect, but they had each other now. They didn't have to deal with it alone anymore. Max made sure that Neil never had a reason to beat up Billy anymore, sometimes napping with him when the nightmares got too much. Licking each others wounds and looking out for one another. Acting like real siblings now, not just in name.

Billy softened, approaching El quietly, kneeling down to her level so he could speak to her face to face. After she saved his life from the mind flayer, helping him partially overcome his shitty trauma's. The two had a bond, innocent, kind of like her big brother in a way. Both of them have their personal issues. "What did you see El?" he asked patiently. He knew how hard it was for El to regain her powers after the mind flayer attacked her, so sometimes trying to explain her psychic abilities was still difficult for her. Aware he had been responsible while possessed, Billy couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt and protectiveness over her.

El hesitated, turning to look at Max for support, the redhead nodding in approval. Billy simply waiting in silent patience for her response. El took a deep breath, fiddling shyly with her fingers as she tried to figure out her words. "He said she was an heir? She looked sad but he kept yelling at her. She told him about the pool, but he said she was a disgrace…. Something about raunchy swimwear…. Teenage boys…. Then she got upset and said slut?" she explained. She didn't know what an heir was nor what a slut meant, but she new disgrace meant something bad. But Stevie wasn't bad, she was a good person and kind. So why would her father say such mean things, unless he was a bad man? She knew her father was being cruel to her which made her angry, she wouldn't allow anyone to hurt her friends. But she didn't understand some of the things that her father had been talking about. But she knew that whatever he had done made Stevie cry, and that was not ok.

Billy inhaled slowly, his blue eyes cold and filled with silent fury. His jaw locking as he tried his hardest to remain as calm as possible. Not wanting to lose his temper in front of the girls and scare them. But he had an abrupt and primal urge to beat the ever-loving shit out of Stevie's father. He knew they had issues, her dad has been putting down Stevie for years. He loved putting unreachable pressures on Stevie because she was their only kid, in his opinion because Stevie's father couldn't be arsed pumping out another kid. He wanted her to be his little princess, flawless. Not unlike how Neil looked at Max ironically. But she gained a job to become independent of him, but her father even ridiculed her for that.

Stevie had never known how to act like someone her own age, because she had never been given the chance to. Her parents trying to mould her into their perfect image from the moment she was born. Pointing out her every flaw and causing Stevie to become cruel, hiding her insecurities by taking out her bitterness on others. After hearing the many stories of what Stevie was like before he showed up, he wasn't surprised she hated her old self. Though before his run in with the mind flayer, he had been intrigued and even tried to bring out that side of her. Now he just pitied her, thinking about how miserable she had to feel putting up with that. No wonder Stevie was so upset, though she seemed perfect to everyone on the outside world. She had anything but, even with her rich girl background, even she had her flaws. He got to his feet, ruffling both girls heads affectionately. Appreciating that they trusted him enough to come for him for help.

"Where's Harrington now?" he asked impatiently. Fuck class, it was a waste of time anyway. Like hell, he was going to let Harrington cry all by herself because her dad enjoyed demeaning her. Thinking about the girl he had seen in a denim jacket, wielding a spiked baseball bat and kicking demodog ass. Knowing that girl was inside of her, but was kept locked away because her father did everything in his power to keep her placid and obedient. If the mind flayer was ever going to return, he sure as hell wasn't going to let Stevie become his victim next time.

Max shrugged guiltily, she hadn't really had time to notice due to Stevie escaping after gesturing them all to their classrooms. Acting like the dutiful babysitter she was, putting their needs before her own. Cursing herself for not paying more attention "We split after the boys went to class. She could be hiding" she suggested in perplexion. She knew a teacher would catch them if she tried snooping around looking for Stevie, as well as getting Stevie into trouble herself by drawing unwanted attention.

"Toilet" El replied bluntly. She knew Stevie had gone to the toilet to cry by herself, away from the prying eyes of everyone else. Sometimes she did that too when she was sad, back when she first moved in with Hopper. She would lock herself in her room and sulk for hours about missing Mike. The toilet was a private area where nobody could see you, allowing you to be alone and close off other people so you could be alone with your thoughts. Somehow Stevie had made it her safe space when she was unhappy.

Billy smiled, he could always rely on El for help. He then got to his feet calmly, he could at least save time trying to look for her now. Truth be told he wasn't really in the mood for a while goose chase anyhow. "You guys go to class…" he trailed off, turning to Max with a stern look. "… I won't tell dad you skipped, just say you had girl trouble or something. I'll go find Harrington" he reassured her. Neil wouldn't argue if he knew Max skipped class because of her period, it couldn't be helped after all. It was normal for girls around her age, and he could vouch for being a concerned sibling. Max nodded, El smiling sweetly at him before she took Max's arm and headed back to class. Billy watching until they were back in the building.

* * *

Stevie bent over the porcelain sink, the low buzz of the crappy bathroom lights humming in her ear. Splashing her face with water, trying to freshen her mood and hopefully make her swollen red eyes less obvious to those around her. The last thing she needed was her classmates teasing her for breaking the brave face and showing her tears. If Lucas was smart enough to pick up on the fact that she was crying, the kids would be talking amongst themselves, let alone someone in her class would have overheard. The last thing she needed right now was more gossip about her. People would have a riot with this, no doubt carol would gossip about her being a crybaby and Nancy would try and be sympathetic. But the only person she felt comfortable being this weak around was Robin, yes she was sarcastic but she was protective over her. I mean, at least she could lie to the teachers about feeling sick which she could get away with.

Ever since their breakup, Nancy treated her like a charity case, that kindness was expected due to their previous relationship. Yes, she still cared for Nancy but if she was only trying to be kind out of duty rather than genuine worry, it made her feel worse. Robin may have been sarcastic and teasing, but at least she really did care. She would never lie to Stevie and she was always there when she needed someone to either listen or distract her crappy mood. Making Stevie realise what a good friend she had found in Robin.

Sadly her making a scene at school would get back to her dad, giving him more to complain about which she really wasn't in the mood for. She had heard enough from him this morning as it was. God, her life was a mess. She sighed heavily, giving herself a quick once over before tidying her hair. She gathered her things before opening the door the bathroom quietly. Better late than never right? Most of her classes she hated anyway, so she didn't really care about showing enthusiasm right now. As she exited to the equally bright white hallway, she stiffened to see Billy Hargrove standing outside patiently. What the hell was he doing here? Was it just a hobby of his to harass her and follow her around? She really wasn't in the mood for any of his shit today. He was the last person she needed seeing her in this state, more ammo to tease her. "Skipping Hargrove? Sounds like you" she scoffed mockingly. Despite his dislike of classes, he still somehow had better grades than her.

She admittedly struggled in her classes, never having been the bookworm type like Nancy. But Billy made it look like a breeze despite being a rumoured delinquent around school. The fact that he made things look so easy while she was clueless only frustrated her further. She just wanted to hide into a hole of self pity and blankets, blocking out the rest of the world until she felt like facing it again. When she was at her lowest, she made a point of avoiding human contact so she could just be alone with her own thoughts.

Billy sighed, as much as her sass annoyed the hell out of him and also turned him on at times. He would brush it off for today, aware her pops was partially responsible for it. "Max was worried, she sent me to check on you" he retorted in a hardened tone. Max was never the type of person to lose her shit unless it was something genuinely serious. Yes, she was a moody little shit and had a mouth on her, but she looked out for her friends. Her outgoing self thanks to the friends she made and gaining confidence in herself. If she felt like turning to Billy was the only option, then it had to be a big deal.

Stevie softened, her impatience lessening, Max was intuitive so of course, she would pick up on something. She wasn't the type of girl to leave things be. "M' fine" she mumbled childishly. She didn't need Billy pestering her over her problems, she would rather just apologize for worrying Max. She was tired, the weight of her stresses starting to get the better of her. Going for a long drive to the middle of nowhere to contemplate sounded awfully tempting right now. Just blow off steam by abruptly going missing to get away from everything.

Billy held his ground, he wasn't buying this. Her eyes were red and puffy, she was avoiding his gaze adamantly proving something was up. After what El had told him he was getting to the bottom of this. He had spent enough nights alone feeling shitty after Neil had let rip on him again, teaching him a lesson for being a piece of shit for a son. He knew how easy it was to put on airs so people didn't ask questions "Really? Cos Max wouldn't blame me if it wasn't serious" he snapped. Even El had seen what had happened. If needed he could use them to prove his point, but then Stevie might feel cornered if that happened.

Stevie stiffened, panic filling her, it was clear now what had happened. Max had gone to Billy thinking he was to blame for her bad mood. She felt so guilty, making them jump to assumptions. She bowed her head shamefully, what was she supposed to say to him? "I… sorry" she trailed off. God, she hated herself today. She had dragged him into this mess because she tried to hide her problems from the kids. Knowing that only made her feel worse, god she just had endless troubles following her around lately, questioning just what else she had in store for her in the future.

Billy huffed, it was too open out here and anyone could interrupt their conversation. Carol would call all sorts of assumptions about their confrontation. The last thing he needed was annoying rumours. He grabbed her hand, leading her away down the hall. "C'mon princess" he mumbled, his tone playful. Neither of them wanted to be in class right now, Stevie was in no mood to concentrate or even put up with a teacher. They needed air and personal space. Stevie blinked, opening her mouth to argue but she was already aware after this morning she wouldn't concentrate. Sulking about her internal conflict of self-hatred and frustration. She had already been having a bad day, she could just spite her asshole dad and skip anyway.

* * *

Billy regained his position, leaning against the walls of the bleachers, lighting up another smoke quietly. The end of the cigarette glowing the familiar orange hue before blowing a trail of smoke from his lips. There were few things that eased his mood more than a good cigarette, since moving to Hawkins it helped him with his anger. He had been trying to vent his issues in a healthier way aside from lifting weights and rock music. Somehow, bonding with Max, fighting supernatural beings and Stevie's company seemed to be the cure for that, as strange as that may be. But then life was odd like that, the most mysterious of things helping you in ways you never thought possible.

Stevie took an offered cigarette gratefully, inhaling the sweet taste of smoke, allowing her to calm her nerves for a while. Silent with deep internal debate, figuring through her conflicted emotional state. "So, what did El tell you?" she asked defensively. Of course, El had seen what happened, it came with her endless powers. Of course, she could trust El not to tell anyone the full details, she was a good egg. She respected the privacy of others. She loved Dustin and the other kids, but if they pestered her now about what happened she would clam up. Triggering her anxiety and causing her to feel trapped. She loved how much they cared, but sometimes you just needed to work things out on your own. She just hoped they wouldn't use the "Friends don't lie" line on her.

"She told me about your fighting with your old man. That he made you cry, called you a slut" he replied coldly. He knew how shitty that kind of stuff made you feel, he had been called a fag by Neil enough times. About his hair, the way he dressed, his love of partying, his rebellious tone, how he couldn't be controlled. He wasn't the kind of man Neil wanted him to be thus he was wrong. Billy had worked hard for his body, yes he still had the scars but they were proof he was alive. He wouldn't let Stevie deal with that aline, he knew how much those words hurt. Cutting deep into your heart and shattering your self confidence like glass.

Stevie scoffed, but there was no malice behind it. She hoped nobody else knew, despite being the rich girl, her life wasn't as great as people thought. It was a lonely life, she took along puff wearily. She usually wouldn't say this sort of thing in front of Billy Hargrove of all people, the previous school fuckboy and the bad boy in town. Her ex-rival of sorts and now turned frenemy. But somehow, she felt more comfortable around him than Nancy. The things she could talk about so easily with him that she had always hesitated with when it came to Nancy, not having to hide that part of herself to seem cool. "As per usual, daddy dearest doesn't approve of my job. He wants my talents to be put to good use. Because, Stevie Harrington cannot be seen around commonors; working at the local pool in a full bodysuit. He wants me to have a coach, a diet, to work towards being an athlete. To become some small perfect prize to gloat about" she raged angrily. She felt her body shaking, trembling with venomous rage as every word escaped her lips. She felt her lip trembling as if she were to start sobbing all over again. Letting it all out, crying would probably make her feel better about acting so pathetic.

Suddenly, she felt an arm place itself around her back "Woah, Harrington. Breathe" Billy soothed in a concerned tone. He couldn't have her having a panic attack, she was really upset. Her father must have really gotten to her this morning. The way her eyes went wild with rage, sadness and frustration. Like a cornered animal on the edge, trying to break desperately out of its cage. Mind you, if a father really must have made her this upset. He had to be a shitty person. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen her so worked up before.

Stevie wiped her eyes shyly, bowing her head as she tried to get rid of the tears spilling down her cheeks. God, she felt like such a kid right now. "Sorry…" she mumbled again. She was just so mad. She never thought she would be crying like this in front of Billy Hargrove. Feeling self conscious about letting her guard down and losing her temper. Thinking about the endless nights she had buried her face into her pillow, wondering what she could do to make her father love her. To finally act like he was proud of her.

Billy shrugged, she was just being honest about how she felt and there was nothing wrong with that. Everyone had their coping mechanisms, though their precious Princess Stevie was not as perfect as people had made her out to be. "My old man and your old man should go for a drink" he chuckled. They both won the award for being the world's shittiest parents. Stevie snorted in amusement. Billy shifted, he was glad that Stevie was feeling better. Hell, he wasn't perfect and he was aware of the asshole he had been in the past. But after the mind control and how Max had shown her love for him, as well as El saving his life. Well, that sort of thing really changed your point of view.

Max still had her moments of waking up in the night and breaking into his room, anxious that he was really gone and his survival had been a dream. Cuddling up beside him at night and clinging to him for dear life, to make herself believe he would be there when she woke up. Realizing how precious he was to Max, that there were people who cared about him. Being given a second chance at redeeming himself after the asshole he had been, able to let go of some of the hatred that had slowly been eating away at him over the years. "Listen, Max… those kids. They think the world of you Harrington. You're like their idol, superwoman or something. You work hard for them, I know Wheeler screwed you over big time. But you take the pool work seriously, you take the kids seriously. Sure I have fun with it at times, but it's still my job. Your dad doesn't know shit, a guy who's never struggled and cuts his own kids off, has no right to complain. So just spite the jerk and stay at the pool" he reassured her awkwardly.

Stevie thought the world of her kids, she was tougher than she was given credit for. Hell, she could swing a bat like a damn pro. The kids adored her, she had loved Nancy Wheeler and she cheated on her, which was shitty. Yes, Stevie had been a bitch in the past but Nancy was no better than her. Stevie was the only person at the pool beside him and Heather who did their damn jobs. She was a hell of a girl and she should be proud of that. Her father may have thought she was a disappointment but his opinion didn't mean shit. The term tough love didn't even equate to him, he doubted the guy even understood the meaning of love in any sense of the word.

Stevie blushed, her cheeks heating as if she was stood in front of a fire. Was… was Billy Hargrove of all people complimenting her? She never thought such a thing was even possible. But, hearing it she really did feel better. "Damn Hargrove, you always this nice?" she teased nervously. Admittedly, when he was like this he was almost cute, almost. Wiping her eyes and shifting under his gaze, suddenly a sense of awkward embarrassment came over her, wondering if she was going crazy.

Billy smirked, glad to hear her familiar bite in her tone. Showing she was coming back to normal again, he loved that fire about her. "Only to you Harrington" he chuckled. Truth be told she was the only real girl in Hawkins, not like all those fake cows. She didn't put up false pretences, she no longer tried hard to impress people. Realizing why she had been so eager to throw away her status as Queen Stevie so easily, sick of the falsities that came with it. Aware of the shitty people that Tommy and Carol had been, that their friendship had been false all along. He had seen the person she acted as when she was around Robin, the real smile she wore on her face.

Stevie hesitated, yes he was a jerk still but he had gotten better since the Mind Flayer scenario. He was softer almost, still scary just less of an ass. She should at least repay him for cheering her up a little. But she still kind of hated him. She relented, sighing under her breath. Approaching Billy, reaching up on her toes to kiss his cheek gingerly. The scent of cigarette smoke and his cologne wafting up her nose like a seductive smoke, making her skin tingle with excitement. She pulled away slowly, watching him shyly for a few moments before reaching for her cigarette again. She was aware half the girls in the school wanted to get in his pants, but she genuinely cared for Billy in her own way.

Billy blinked, stunned for a moment as he took a moment to process what actually happened. She had just kissed him, Stevie "Queen Stevie" Harrington had just kissed him. Her lips were softer than he expected, he could smell her lip gloss, cherry flavoured. He smirked to himself as he studied her expression in amusement, was she blushing? How cute. "You missed Harrington" he teased, tapping his lips. Hey, why shouldn't he be cocky? The girl he had been into since he transferred to this school was finally giving him some much awaited sugar. Though this wasn't how he imagined his first from her would go.

Stevie pouted, averting her gaze as she knew looking him in the eye would only make her blush worsen. But she knew he wasn't going to let this go anytime soon "Get used to it Hargrove, that's as much thanks as your gonna get" she chuckled. Like hell she would admit she had a crush on him, his ego would inflate to shocking levels than he already had. Billy pretended to look hurt, gripping his chest in mock heartbreak. But a playful smirk tugged the edge of his lips. He would remember that kiss all week, seeing it in his dreams for days to come.


End file.
